Section 6-5 Rome and the Roots of Western Civilization

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Greco-Roman culture- the mixing elements of Greek, Hellenistic, and Roman culture that produced a new culture.
Pompeii- a Roman town
Virgil- a poet who wrote the epic of Aeneid which was the story of Aneneas.
Tacitus- a Roman historian.
aqueduct- a invention to brin water into cities and towns.

Setting the Stage:
- Romans adapt culture easily but they develope their own that became a legacy.

The Legacy of Greco-Roman Civilization:
- The Roman empire was many territories made into one huge state that were all governe the same way. The Romans took pride in there unique ability to rule, they acknowledge there leadership in arts, literature and philosophy.
- Rome had conquered Greece anthem liked their culture. Educated Romans learned the Greek language. The adaption to other cultures as well formed a new culture.
- the Romans did not directly copy the Greels they simple took their ideas an altered them into their own.

Roman Fine Arts:
- Romans learne about sculpture from the Greeks. While the Greek sculptures were more about Beaty and idealization the Romans were more realalistic portraits. Much of roman art was practicle.
- wheb Augustus ruled it was a great artistic period. They Romans further developed a type of sculpture called bas-relief or low-relief. In this images have a flat background. This was used to tell stories, show crowds of people soldiers in battle and landscapes.
- Romans were very good at making mosaics thT are pictures made of small piece of stone or glass or tile that Is organized to make a picture. each wealthly roman town had at least one colorful mosaic.
- Romans were also very good at painting. Most wealthy Romans had bright large murals called frescoes painted directly on their walls. Few are left. The best examples of Roman art was in the Roman city Pompeii. Pompeii is near Mount Vesuvius that routed in 70 AD killing many people living in Pompeii.

Learning and Literature:
- Romans narrowed much philosophy from the Greeks. Stoicism the philosophy of Greek Zebo was very popular and very influential. Stoicism encouraged virtue duty moderation and endurance.
- the Romans also wrote epics. A famous one was Aeneid by Virgil that was written in praise of Rome and its virtues.
- while Virgil's poem was very serious another port Ovid wrote joyful poetry for enjoyment.
- Romans also wrote good prose especially in history. Livy wrote a multicolor history of Rome from it origins to 9 BC. He used legands freely and it was more a national myth. Another man Tacitus presented the facts accurately. He wrote about he gods an bad imperial Rome.

The Legacy of Rome:
- Rome is still felt Dailey in languages institutions andthe thought of the western world.

The Latin Language:
- Latin the language of Rome state the la gauge of the west even after Rome fell. It was the official language of the Roman Catholic Church in the 20th century.
- Latin was adapted my many people and then made into French Spanish Portuguese Italian and Romanian. These are called Romance languages because they have Rome of a common heritage. Latin has also been the base or many other languages like English is about half based on Latin.

Master Builders:
- they were very good at building. People were astonished by their arches domes and other things like the Colosseum.
- arches also supported bridges and aqueducts.
- because roman aritecture was so practice it remained practice. Thomas Jefferson started to build houses an building similar to the Romans. The united states Capitol and other capitols include many roman features.
- Romans also built roads out of stone San and concrete to get around the empire and some are still used today.

Roman System of Law:
- Romans law was very good and was really made to strengthen the rights of the citizens. Rome at first thought everyone should have these rights rig or poor but slowly justice was given more selectively. This was mainly based on the teachings of Stoic philosophers.
- equal treatment under law, innocent until proven guilty, burden or proof Reyes with accuser not he accused. Person punished only for actions not thought any law thT was unreasonable was no more a law.
- this law was the base or many European governments including the united states.

Rome's Enduring Influence:
- by making new cultures the western traditions strengthened. Rome didn't fall because yet had become more than an empire but and idea or immortality.
- there were more great civilizations.